One thing I run into  a lot with people who have existing websites who are looking for a seo or sem consultant in Portland is the question of whether to go with a large sem firm, a micro business (1-10 employees) or a solo self employed freelance sem expert.

Like my friend Jim Standridge, an excellent video production guy says, “There are three things: time, money, quality.  Pick two”.

If you need a job done fast and right, a large sem firm is probably the way to go, but it will be the most expensive.  From what I have run come across in my Portland SEM ventures is that a large firm will typically have 3-7 managers who really know what they are doing, and a huge crew of low paid sem workers.  Not that this is bad, but know that you are paying a high premium for their work force.  SEM can be complicated but it isn’t rocket science, its just really really tedious work.  If you go with a big sem firm, you’ll probably get results but it will cost.

The other option is to hire a sem consultant that is a micro business.  I have to admin here I have a “dog in the fight” because that is the category my company falls into.

This type of SEM Consultant is usually a group of people working out of a small or home office, or one project manager that has a couple part time telecommuter experts helping him out.

I personally believe that this model is the best value in web design, sem, seo and web development.  Often you will find that this type of sem consultant is connected with the brightest stars at the larger sem firms.  You can often get very good results by hiring a company that has a team of “moonlighters”, experts who have a day job but have a couple hours in the evening.

A micro business will usually produce results as good or often better than a large SEM firm, but it may take longer.  This could be a perfect fit for someone launching a new business venture, but a bad match for someone rolling out a product launch that must be coordinated with other marketing efforts.

The last type of sem consultant is the solo sem consultant.  This is usually someone who was once employed by a large sem firm and decided to go it on his own, or perhaps someone who is really talented and likes to “do his own thing”.

I typically see one of two things happen with solo sem consultants.  They either flake out, or do a really great job.  Its pretty rare to see a mediocre self employed person, because the two just don’t go together.  A person who doesn’t do a good job won’t be self employed for very long.

If you are looking for a affordable sem consultant in Portland with proven results, consider AuraDev.  Contact us at 503 830 4313 for a free interview to see if our SEM strategies can help grow your business.

Portland Linen Rental
I currently have 3 colors of linens available for rental. My wife is a wedding coordinator, so when we got married we chose to buy linens so that we could rent them out later.

All Linens are approx 85″ Square.

Colors are

Burgundy, Chocolate, Dusty Rose

Terms:

$5 per linen for a 7 day rental. $100 minimum (20 linens).

After your event, you must have them professionally cleaned and folded. Most dry cleaners offer this service (usually costs around $50). They don’t need to be dry cleaned, just normal wash and fold. Please bring a copy of the receipt from the cleaners.

If the linens are returned dirty, stained or soiled, you will be charged $10 per linen.

We do accept visa / master card for payment and will require a credit card as a security deposit.

Pickup / Drop off is in Tualatin.

To rent, contact Chris Chong 503 830 4313

I often get asked, what is SEO and SEM and all this internet marketing stuff?

Well the short answer is that SEO (search engine optimization) and SEM (search engine marketing) are the two sides of the internet marketing coin, both vital to getting your website to show up when someone searches for your business type or products in Google.

Its can be a long process, but can pay off in both the short and long term. Here’s how:

Every day millions of people use Google, Yahoo and MSN to search for products and services. As a SEO & SEM Consultant, its our job to try to get your web site to come up on the first page of the search results. We do this by writing content for your website in a specific way so that Google will think that your website is the most relevant to a given search phrase.

The easiest example of seo and sem copywriting to explain is this: Don’t use generic phrases. For example: there are many companies that you could call “marketing companies”.

But if your niche is “brochure writing” then you should be using the phrase “brochure writing” and every variation of that on your website instead of saying we help “market businesses”.

You see, its all about specifics. Google doesn’t know you, they can only look at the verbiage you use to determine what your web site is about. A SEO & SEM Consultant can help identify and revise your marketing to be both specific enough for Google to identify you, and general enough to appeal to a wide range of potential customers.

Here is our typical seo/sem process:
Step 1
We Install Google Analytics, a free service of Google that allows us to characterize and assess traffic to the site. It is a necessary first step in leading our thinking as to how and where to proceed most efficiently and cost effectively in upgrading the site. To accomplish this we need your FTP logins.

After approximately one month we will download and review the data generated by Google Analytics meet to explain how the website is performing and identify the specific next steps to improve this performance.
Step 2
Review existing traffic patterns and search engine visibility. Analytics will show what is effective and what should be revised.

Step 3
Identify key terms and phrases we think potential customers would use to find your website.  Google Keyword Tools can be helpful in identifying these key words.

Step 4
We will build individual pages on the existing website targeted to each key word (start with the top 20 keywords chosen based on the analysis undertaken in step 2.

We write search engine optimized content, create support graphics if needed for a nice presentation of content.

Create and/or Update your xml sitemap so Google knows where to find new pages.

If you are looking for a reliable, experienced SEM Consultant contact AuraDev at 503 830 4313 for a free introductory meeting.

Roof Life Oregon is a local oregon company that offers quality roofing and roof maintenance services.

I have never personally used them, but probably would since their ads are so catchy.  I hear them a lot on Lars Larson.

The thing I like most about the Roof Life Oregon ads is how they stress maintenance, which I assume would be cheaper than not maintaining your roof and having to pay Roof Life Oregon to put a completely new roof on your house.

Do you own a local business that could benefit from being at the top of google searches?  If so, contact AuraDev at 503 830 4313 to learn how SEO and SEM can help people find your business online.

Sushi Track Wilsonville

The Wilsonville Sushi Track is a great sushi restaurant in Wilsonville Oregon.

They are located just off I-5 in Wilsonville.

Although they are not my favorite susi restaurant, they do make really good sushi.  I probably go there 2-3 times a month, because they are just down the road from my house.

My favorite plate at Sushi Track Wilsonville is the spicy tuna roll and the salmon.  I do think they have the best spicy tuna roll, and its $2 for 4 pieces, so you can’t beat that.  They also have this croquette thing that is like a fried sweet potato that I haven’t found anywhere else.

Overall they are a little more expensive than my favorite, Sushi Train in Tualatin, but only by a few $$$.  The bill typically ends up being around $12 per person.

If you are looking for a good sushi restaurant in Wilsonville, I’d recommend Sushi Track over Sushi Ave (the other sushi restaurant in Wilsonville).

If you own a business and would like people to find you on the internet, contact AuraDev at 503 830 4313 to learn how we can help promote your business through SEO and SEM.

The internet has inspired and made millionaires from many people savvy enough to recognize the benefits of internet marketing. In terms of getting you message in front of a global audience for such a low cost of distribution, the internet can offer the highest ROI for your marketing dollar.

Wide distribution combined with low cost has made internet marketing the saving grace for many businesses whose product or service would have otherwise gone unnoticed in the marketplace.

It’s not all just websites and email though. Internet marketing goes far beyond that. Many companies are using the web to manage customer data and electronic customer relationship management systems. (ECRM).

Successful internet marketing campaigns combine both the creative and technical aspects the latest trends of computer technology. Internet marketing is more than simply building a website and hoping somebody finds it. The promotion involved is a well thought out strategy where visitor interaction, function and appearance targets a niche market as defined by customer profiles.  This is where search engine optimization (seo) and search engine marketing (sem) come in.

Internet marketing can be defined by separate and distinct goals of your website. The first being an e-commerce site where goods are sold directly to customers from the website, using a shopping cart and credit card payment system.

There are also websites where the sole purpose is lead acquisition, where visitors are prompted to enter their contact information to join a newsletter or just to get more information about the company and product or service being offered. Internet marketing also includes what is called affiliate marketing, where a business pays commissions from affiliate members that place company ads on their personal websites.

Web 2.0 strategies include search engine optimization and the use of keywords in your website to increase your ranking amongst the search engines. Your goal in internet marketing should be to have your business website appear near the top results of a search. The effective use of website design, social networking and even selection of a good domain name can help you achieve this goal.

A successful internet marketing campaign must start with the above basics and they should be given the efforts of developing a firm foundation for your business endeavors. A firm foundation will sustain your business and allow you to build solidly as you grow. Think of longevity instead of a “hit em and forget em” site that is here today and gone tomorrow never making money.

Internet marketing is an important element in your overall marketing plan. There are benefits to be enjoyed over other media, such as print, radio and television. But they often come at a higher price, so you must know what you are doing and you must do it well.

There is much information available about internet marketing to someone interested in learning how to market their business and the rapid change in technology and strategies makes it vitally important that you keep up to date on trends.

If you are looking for an internet marketing consultant in the Portland Oregon area, contact AuraDev at 503 830 4313 for a free initial consultation.

My favorite burger at the Red Robin Wilsonville is the A1 Peppercorn. A while ago Red Robin discontinued it. I had to stop going there because it was I was so sad…

The good news is that because so many people asked about it, they brought it back!

Wilsonville Red Robin is a great place to go hang out with friends.

The Wilsonville Red Robin is open till 10pm Sun-Thurs and 11pm on Fri/Sat.
Their phone number is (503) 682-0175.

Would you like to see your business come up on search engines? AuraDev provides SEM (Search Engine Marketing) services to companies in the Portland Metro Area.